


we'll be alright, child

by j_whirl44



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, HhhHhhHhHhH, LET CEL SLEEP IM BEGGING
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:42:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27947756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_whirl44/pseuds/j_whirl44
Summary: cel sleeps and is reunited
Relationships: Sassraa & Celiquillithon "Cel" Sidebottom
Comments: 12
Kudos: 24





	we'll be alright, child

Cel can barely stand at this point, but they think they’re hiding it well. They are so  _ tired _ . The crashing feeling after being wound up with so much adrenaline taking its expected toll. Their eyes are heavy but they don’t want to close them just yet. They need to make sure, be absolutely positive, that everyone around them is okay.

Well, as okay as they can be. Meerk’s procession ended and the kobolds all went somewhere private, the others knowing not to disturb them. They all stood in the room they took the journey in. Everyone was trying to hide it, but the focus was on the two bodies sleeping away silently in the corner. No one dared to move a muscle until they were awake again.

Cel’s eyes fluttered closed unwillingly for the briefest second before they forced them open again. They shook their head to keep it from happening again as they focused on Sassraa. White horns shining and new and so stark against their deep red scales. Cel smiles just a bit, eyes stinging with tears that have so far been kept at bay.

They hear someone approach beside them. A warm presence, shining that familiar pink. They hold in a sigh and turn to smile at them, “Hey, Azu.”

“Cel…” Azu begins. They want to protest, but before they can a yawn escapes them, noticeable and long. Cel blushes and turns away from the paladin.

“I’m fine, really, I can take first- first watch or whatever! It’s no trouble. Everyone needs rest, not just me, you know? We should take shifts if that’s-”

“Cel,” Azu says again. She stands tall as she always does and puts a gentle hand on their elbow, “you need rest too. You said it yourself. Heed your own advice,” she explains.

Cel huffs a small, sarcastic laugh, “I...you’re right,” they answer, looking towards Sassraa one last time. They give Wilde a once over as well. The scar is noticeably gone and they’d be lying if they said they weren’t curious as to why- but Azu’s right- there is time for that later. No use getting those sort of answers when the subject is asleep.

Azu squeezes their elbow and pushes them forward to the door. Cel hesitates a moment, “But if they wake up you- you have to wake me up immediately right Azu? I- don’t want to miss them-”

“Of course,” she reassures. There’s a glow in her eye that shows she’s amused at the request, Cel wants to protest it but, gods, they really are just so tired.

They exit the room and head to what appears to be an inn across the way. It’s now that they notice just how much they ache. Their knees feel wobbly and their shoulders have been tense for who knows how long. They move their neck in a circle to stretch it out and it helps a little, but at this point they’re ready to be off their feet and under a blanket.

They enter the inn and they don’t even have to say anything before they’re greeted and pulled to a room already ready for them, clothes laying on the bed and a fresh pitcher of water on the table beside it. They laugh a bit, “guess word travels fast,” they say out loud.

They change and the fabric is softer than anything they’ve felt before and they’re not quite sure it’s enchanted or not but it does make them instantly relax and they all but melt into the bed when they finally enter it. It’s the longest their mind has been empty for… a long time. They’re dreaming of nothing in seconds.

They don’t know how long it is before they wake up naturally. For a split second they forget where they are and it makes them tense up before their brain catches up and they let out a small sigh. They sit up and stretch before scratching their head. The blanket engulfs them as they move and they curl their knees to their chest before they finally look out the room and they yelp in surprise when they see Sassraa sitting in the chair by the door.

She raises her arm, “Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, oh, I-” they cut themself off and take a small step forward.  
  
Cel shakes their hands and swings their legs out the bed. “No, no it’s okay I just wasn’t expecting to see you, buddy! I mean I was expecting you to be _ here _ but I just don’t- oh” they’re cut off when Sassraa hugs them tight. They smile and accept it just as tightly. Tears still threaten to fall but they swallow it down.

After a moment they break apart and just stare at each other with smiles on both their faces.

“Azu said she would wak-”

“Oh, uh, yes. She sent me to do it!” Sassraa says with much more enthusiasm than Cel was expecting. They give a laugh as they watch her tail flip wildly about, “I was going to wake you but I thought I would...let you sleep maybe, she, she said you were tired,” she finishes.

Cel’s smile grows bigger as they pull them in again to a brief hug. They move a hand to touch her horns gently and Sassraa leans into it, “Cool right!” she says.

“Very cool, little buddy! You- it looks great!” Cel says.

Sassraa moves back to pace around the room. It takes Cel a moment to just take in the fact that they did it. Sassraa is here. Alive. Moving with the same vigor they always did. Cel’s been alive for a long time and has seen a lot of things, but nothing quite this special. Their heart clenches a moment.

“Oh...Meerk,” they let out.  
  
Sassraa stops moving and looks at them again. “I know,” she says, “Skraak. They all told me, I’ll miss them…”

“Oh I didn’t mean to make you...I’m sorry, Sassraa I-” Cel begins to apologize but they shake them off.

“It’s okay. It’s… loss is something we’re used to. We knew what we were getting into. I’m glad they got to… chose,” she says.

Cel smiles and nods their head. Now, tears finally do escape. Sassraa comes up and wipes them away with one of their claws. Cel laughs and nods an appreciation.

There’s a comfortable silence between the two as they take in each other's company. Cel’s almost on the brink of falling asleep again but they shake it off as they stand up. Sassraa looks up at them, those golden eyes filled with as much wonder and excitement in them as before the… everything.

“Let’s go then, little buddy, lots of work to do,” Cel beams.

They walk out together and meet up again with the others. Wilde’s awake too, and Cel gives him a smile and a nod that he returns in kind.

For the first time in a very long time, there’s a lightness in Cel’s chest that’s warm and exciting.

**Author's Note:**

> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! fuck you writer's block !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> i wanted to get something with these two in it out before the episode this week so!! also!! just wanted cel to SLEEP! so
> 
> thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed <3


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